Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-05-05
WORTH. TEXAS THURSDAY, A

rage, Houston.
Secretaries-Wil Lambert, c. P. Lane,
A. a. Bell and H. Houston.
ergeants-at-Arms-J. c. Carr, NJ.
Joiner and f. J. Barrett.
The report of the committee was
adopted.
The chair appointed Judge Harcourt
and A. NJ. Cochran to escort Hon. D
G. Giddings to the chair.
Judge Harcourt introduced the permanent
chairman. Mr.. Giddings addressed the
convention. His remarks were confined
TO the difficulty in executing the laws that
must necessarily follow if the amendment
carries, tying the hands of the poor man
and granting extraordinary privileges to
the rich.
Governor Gibbs introduced Melvin
Wade, a coloTed &man, who made
characteristic speech, and was cheered to
the echo.
j. A. Carroll, chairman of the COM
mittee on address, said that it was m
possible for his committee to prepare an
address such as they were willing to go
before the people on account of the time,
leaving the task to the executive
committee. The convention accepted his
statement and the committee was dis
charged.
Hon. George Clark was chosen chair
man of the executive committee.
Roger Q. Mills chairman on resolutions
and platform reported series of resolu-
ton laying down the platform upon
which the campaign is to be fought.
Following are the resolutions adopted:
l. We oppose the prohibition move
ment because it is q proposition to change
our form of government from a free re-
public of sovereign and independent citi-
zens to a species of paternalism, hateful
to cur people. It will take from them
their most sacred and inalienable rights
and will add to and augment the pow
ers OF government, and is therefore I'M
democratic and anti-republican.
2. We oppose this amendment because
it is sumptuary and will veX the citizen
and interfere with individual liberty.
3. We oppose this amendment because
it is at war with the fundamental prin-
cipl of AuglO-SaXOn civilization, and
will destroy that inaIenable right Of the
citizen to determine for himself by what
method he will pursue his own happiness
without interference with the rights
Of others, which principle is the basis of
petuity of our institutions.
4. We oppose the amendment because
its Enforcement will entail upon the gov
eminent the necessity of promoting a
system of spies and infOrmers detestable
to our people, and the achievement of
extreme legislation of doubtful cOnStitu-
tionalltY, and under the sanction
of which cur homes may be
searched, our property seized and our
dearest rights invaded. Texas cannot
hope to escape these curses which have
invariably attended similar experience in
other states.
5. Its adoption will suppress the gener-
al use of miIder stimulants and encourage
the use of the strongest drinks and thus re-
tard the advancement of genuine temper
anCe. 1t will stamp as criminal the man
ufactuTe of wines from our domestic
grapes for family purposes and will de-
grade drug stores into dram shops and
elevate our doctors into autOcrats over
Oursappetites.
G. 1t will enable the rich to import and
use their liquors without taxation or re-
straint, and will prohibit only those of
our people who are too poor to buy their
liquors in unbroken packages, and under
its operations the saloon will give place
to the guided club room for the rich,
while the poor will be forced to make
their purchases at low dives and in viola
ton of law. Such class of legislation
is OdiOus to our people and contrary to
free government.
Z. ltprOpOses by the preponderanCe of
a majority in certain sections of the state
to fasten by force on other sections a
theory of moral and social conduct and
habit distasteful and repugnant to the
latter. The varied interests of these sec
tons in our state have been prolific
source of care and thought in our states
and if this amendment
is adopted it will engender
a hostile sentiment in localities fatal to
its enforcement. Thus we get dis
Law and q disregard Of consti-
tutional authority, and will produce q
lasting and permanent evil to our people
and tend to disrupt the state.
s. 1t proposes to confiscate and destroy
without compensation large property in
terests of our people. 1t will
unsettle business and impair
values, paraIyze for a
period at least the commercial interests
of our state and destroy great industries
already in operation for the manufactur-
ing of the miIder stimulants. 1t will
abolish the source of public revenue
fully one-third and increase to a CORE
spending amount the burdens upon our
lands and the necessaries of life, already
overburdened with the exactions of gov
ment.
8. The jealous advocates of the prohibit
ton idea have already established and or
gsnzed third political party, and have
waged relentless warfare upon the prin-
ciples and organization of other estab-
Iished parties. Instigated by foreign
they have by agitation
for years secured from the Legislature of
our state the concession of this propesi-
ton to change eur organic law, and by
studied purpose and concerted move
ment, they now seek to stife political ex-
preston from our people, until their own
political designs are fully accomplished.
We warn our people of this threatened
danger and call upon them to rebuke at
the polls this sinister conspiracy against
their political organization and funda-